TP's 6,000 Openings and BPO Hiring Outside Metro Manila

TP Philippines, formerly Teleperformance, is offering about 6,000 jobs in Cebu City and Cagayan de Oro, with job fairs in both cities in mid-October, SunStar reported on October 9, 2026. The same company opened its 29th Philippine site at the Four E-Com Center in Pasay, expected to create more than 1,000 jobs, according to The Manila Times. And PEZA is now marketing Bicol, especially Naga City, to IT-BPM companies, the Daily Tribune reported. For career shifters and fresh grads outside Metro Manila, that's a real opening, and a BPO job can be a practical first step toward IT if you use it right.

Lots of people look down on call center work. I don't. Plenty of the IT support analysts, QA testers and workforce analysts I know started on a voice account. The trick is knowing which seat to take and what to do with your rest days.

What did TP announce in October 2026?

TP announced two things: a hiring push in Visayas and Mindanao, and a new Metro Manila site.

From SunStar's October 9 report:

• About 6,000 openings across Cebu City and Cagayan de Oro.
• Job fairs on October 13 in Cagayan de Oro and October 15 at Seda Ayala Center Cebu in Cebu Business Park.
• Roles in customer experience and business support, covering accounts in telecommunications, healthcare, travel, financial services, retail, digital advertising, sales and search engine optimization, depending on the account.
• Open to experienced BPO workers, fresh graduates, career shifters and first-time jobseekers, subject to each role's qualifications.
• Marlon de Mesa, TP Philippines' executive vice-president for operations support, said the company's "30-year presence and success in the Philippines are anchored by our strong regional footprint."

From The Manila Times and Outsource Accelerator:

• The new site is at the Four E-Com Center in the SM Mall of Asia complex, TP's second in Pasay after its MAAX Building operations.
• It's expected to create more than 1,000 jobs.
• TP describes its approach as a hybrid workforce where human experts and AI-enabled systems work together.

Neither report listed specific job titles for the Pasay site, so check TP's official careers page for actual openings.

What is PEZA doing in Bicol?

PEZA is trying to bring IT-BPM and other industries to Bicol, beyond the usual Manila and Cebu hubs. According to the Daily Tribune's October 14 report:

• PEZA Director General Tereso Panga led site inspections and meetings in Camarines Sur and Albay.
• IT-BPM company Inspiro, which employs more than 12,000 people across eight sites, joined PEZA in assessing possible locations in Naga City, including the Camarines Sur Information Technology Park in Pili. This is a prospective expansion, not a confirmed opening.
• PEZA and the Naga City government signed an agreement for space in the city's new building for a PEZA extension office.
• Panga said PEZA and the Naga mayor plan to market Naga to global IT-BPM companies, citing its skilled workforce, emerging technology parks and "attractive operating costs."

This is early-stage. Investment leads don't always become offices. But if you're from Naga, Legazpi or nearby and you've been told you have to move to Manila for a tech-adjacent job, keep an eye on it.

Why are BPOs hiring if AI is replacing call center work?

Both things are happening at once. SunStar's report itself says AI is increasingly automating routine customer service and back-office tasks, and that TP is expanding what it calls an "AI-enabled workforce" to meet client demand for AI-ready skills. The simple, repetitive tasks shrink. The accounts that need judgment, patience and some technical skill keep hiring.

We covered the industry outlook earlier today in our post on what the Genesys and IBPAP reports mean for BPO agents. The short version: the BPO jobs most likely to last are the ones closest to troubleshooting, escalations and working alongside AI tools. Those also happen to be the ones closest to IT.

Can a BPO job be a stepping stone into IT?

Yes, if you pick the right account and you're deliberate about it. A BPO job gives you income, 13th month pay, HMO, a work record and often an internal job board. What it won't do is turn you into an IT professional by itself. You have to push.

Here's how I'd use a BPO job as a bridge:

1. Ask for a technical account at the job fair. Tech support, telco troubleshooting, or software and app support beats a pure sales or collections account if your goal is IT. Ask the recruiter directly which accounts are hiring.
2. Learn the tools on the floor. Ticketing systems, knowledge bases, remote desktop tools. Write down every system you use, because those become resume keywords later.
3. Find the IT people in your building. Every site has IT support, network, workforce management and reporting teams. Be friendly with them.
4. Watch the internal job postings. Internal moves to IT support, QA or reporting are often the fastest route, since they already know your attendance and stats.
5. Study on your rest days. The Google IT Support Professional Certificate on Coursera, with financial aid available, is a common first step for support roles.

Our full guide to the BPO to IT career shift goes deeper on what transfers and what you still need to learn.

What should you bring to a BPO job fair?

Bring what the specific job fair asks for, and if it doesn't say, prepare these:

• several printed copies of a one-page resume
• a valid government ID
• a pen, and a small folder so your papers don't get crumpled in the heat
• a short self-introduction you can say in English in under a minute
• a clear answer on which shift you can work

Expect an initial interview, and often an English or typing assessment on the spot. If you're a career shifter, practice your opening answer before you go. Our tell me about yourself samples for career shifters work for BPO interviews too.

Also start your pre-employment documents now, because a quick job fair offer can come with a short deadline. Our checklist of pre-employment requirements for your first IT job covers NBI, TIN, SSS and the rest.

What to do about it this week

1. Check TP's official careers page for openings in your city, and confirm any job fair schedule there instead of on random Facebook reposts.
2. Decide which account type you want before you apply. If IT is the goal, aim for technical support.
3. Update your resume to put any troubleshooting, data or tech-related experience at the top.
4. Pick one free course for your target IT role and schedule three study slots around a possible night shift.
5. Ignore anyone who asks for a fee to "guarantee" you a BPO slot. Legit BPOs don't charge applicants.

Making the shift alone is possible, and lots of agents do it. What usually stalls people is not effort but direction: picking a role, translating account work into IT terms, and knowing when you're ready to apply. In the Career Shifter Track, week 1 is about picking your IT role based on what you already do at work, and week 3 rewrites your resume with a coach marking it up line by line. Live calls are recorded, so you can watch them after shift. The free preview lessons are a good way to check if it fits.

Frequently asked questions

Is TP hiring in Cebu in October 2026?

According to SunStar's October 9 report, TP was offering about 6,000 openings in Cebu City and Cagayan de Oro, with a job fair on October 15 at Seda Ayala Center Cebu. Check TP's official careers page for current openings.

Where is TP's new Pasay site?

TP's 29th Philippine site is at the Four E-Com Center in the SM Mall of Asia complex in Pasay City, and it is expected to create more than 1,000 jobs.

Is PEZA opening IT parks in Bicol?

PEZA is promoting Bicol to IT-BPM investors and has assessed sites in Naga City and the Camarines Sur Information Technology Park in Pili with Inspiro. As of the October 14 report, it was a prospective expansion, not a confirmed opening.

Can fresh graduates apply to TP's job openings?

SunStar reported that TP's openings were open to fresh graduates, career shifters and first-time jobseekers as well as experienced BPO workers, subject to each role's qualifications.

Is working in a BPO a good way to get into IT?

It can be, especially on a technical support account. It gives you income and real ticketing and troubleshooting experience, but you still need to study for your target IT role and push for internal moves.